"Will get more seats than what exit polls projected": BJP Mahila Morcha VP Kulkarni on Maharashtra polls
New Delhi: BJP Mahila Morcha National Vice President Medha Kulkarni on Thursday expressed her confidence in BJP-led Mahayuti forming the government in Maharashtra, noting that the alliance would get more seats than what the exit polls had predicted on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the state of Maharahstra went to polls in their 288 assembly seats in a single phase and following that, the exit polls projected that the BJP-led Mahayuti will be forming the government there.
"Once again, the Mahayuti government will be formed in the state. Mahayuti will work for the people of the state; there was a good strategy. The people here want the double-engine government. According to our calculation, we will get more seats than what the exit polls have projected," the BJP Mahila Morcha National Vice President said.
On the claims made by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) that they would be forming the government despite the exit poll projections, Kulkarni said, "This is their misinterpretation and they will know about it after two days."
Earlier on Wednesday, Shiv Sena leader Milind Deora said that Mahayuti would be winning the assembly elections with a majority in Maharashtra.
"I thank the voters of Maharashtra for fulfilling their duty. In this election, Mahayuti will win with a comfortable majority," Deora said.
The ruling Mahayuti is poised to retain power in Maharashtra, with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) also putting up a strong show in assembly polls and exit poll projections on Wednesday after the conclusion of polling on 288 seats in the state.
According to the Republic TV-PMARQ exit poll, the Mahayuti alliance could win 137-157 seats, whereas the Maha Vikas Aghadi could get 126-147 seats and others 2-8 seats. Mahayuti includes BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi includes Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP). Matrize exit poll projected 150-170 seats for the Mahayuti alliance and 110-130 seats for Maha Vikas Aghadi. It said others could get 8-10 seats.
Chanakya Strategies projected that Mahayuti will win 152-150 seats, MVA 130-138 seats and others 6-8 seats. 'Peoples Pulse' projected Mahayuti scoring a decisive victory by getting 175-195 seats. It said Maha Vikas Aghadi is poised to get 85-112 seats and 'others' winning 7-12 seats.
The majority mark in the Maharashtra assembly is 145 and the range of Republic TV-PMARQ projection suggested that even MVA could cross the mark.
Maharashtra polled 58.22 per cent votes till 5 pm on Wednesday. The elections saw a keen contest between Mahayuti and MVA. It was the first assembly poll in the state after splits in Shiv Sena and NCP.
In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and the Congress won 44. In 2014, the BJP claimed 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42.
